Approved Crafting - Blog

Last week I wrote about my struggles with anxiety, I was so overwhelmed by the lovely messages that I received afterwards, so thank you to those who read it. I know this is a craft blog and you are saying, Lowri, why don't you just show us some cards or how to make a pompom or something, and I will but I just wanted to write a quick follow up. I found it so interesting that many of the messages I received contained the same phrase ........  "It's so nice to know I am not alone". Anxiety and Depression can feel so isolating. Be it from feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, unconfident or just plain embarrassed. When you are on a downward spiral it is just easier to stay at home. Stay in bed. Stay away. But life needs to continue, right? Work, family, life obligations and the rest. If you weren't feeling shit before, having to doll yourself up, slap on a smile and go and talk to a client, manager or twatish mum at some god awful playgroup, will definatly m...

So, I have been wanting to write this post for a while. Over the last few months I have not posted or promoted or done anything very much with Approved Crafting. I have had to let a couple lovely customers down which I absolutely despise and had to put off work. The reason? LIFE! Or more precisely the Anxiety of life. I'd like to open up a bit...... (T.M.I. ALLERT!) I am a hard working, creative, kind and reliable person. However, I am also shy, introverted, lack confidence in areas and struggle with feeling like an imposter. I have had anxiety and panic attacks since I was 18. I have had counselling, been part of studies and been on and off medication since then, all with varying success. At my best I have been just.... well... normal. At my worst I can't leave the house. But most of the time I am somewhere in between. I have had to accept that anxiety and the ups and downs it brings is just a part of my life and always will be. Starting my own business has been so m...

            After writing my post about reusable wrapping paper, I started to think about what else I had lying around that I could not just use for wrapping but for transforming into gifts and decor for my new home. Money is tight at the moment so anything I can do to save a few pennies and create something beautiful is a bonus for me. I had sort of organised my craft room last week so I knew what was in there, then I remembered a little gem I had in the garage.               A few months ago I got my hands on some wallpaper sample books through a friend who called up a local decorating business. They were more than happy to give their old samples away and I was thrilled to get good quality, interesting paper for FREE! However, when I got there, there were a few more sample books then I had imagined, at least 20. Mr Approved was not impressed coming home to them strewn all over the house and over the last few mont...

             Recently I was fortunate enough to arrange flowers for my Sister in laws Wedding and she was kind enough to let me bring some home. The display came from the ceremony table, made up from artificial flowers, berries, greenery, pine cones and pheasant feathers. The display was a little too large and formal for me to just have around the house so I decided to take it to pieces and re use the flowers.              We have just moved so, there are boxes of Christmas decorations hanging around and by chance, this wreath was sitting on top of one open box. I bought it last year for no more than a couple of pounds but hadn't found anything to do with it. Until now that is....... For this display I used: 3 Burgundy Roses 3 Hydrangea flowers ( I took a full hydrangea head and dismantled it) 3 Pine Cones 3 Pheasant feathers 3 Eucalyptus sprigs a metre or 2 of ivy An artificial wreath Florist...

This morning, while wandering through my new back garden, I was trying to work out what to do with it. It is fairly large with established fruit trees, hedges and shrubs. We bought the house because of the garden, we wanted a little slice of the countryside while still being near enough to civilisation to fulfil life commitments. Before we moved, nearly a month ago, I was so excited to have this big garden, to have a bit of privacy, to enjoy sipping cups of tea under the weeping willow watching the leaves sway in the morning breeze. But, on the day we moved I walked down to the end of the garden and was filled with dread. What the hell had I done? I am not a gardener, I know nothing about gardening. I could name about three of the 10s of species of plant and tree in the garden.                     So here I was this morning, meandering through the dewy grass with cat in toe chasing a football, wondering how I can possibly...

After my last blog post, I thought it would be fun to follow up with some creative ideas I have come across for alternative gift tags. On my travels through the Pinterest universe I have come across a lot of inspiration and heres the best of the best just for you. fancy-wood-chalkboard-labels-set-of-4 1. Blackboard tags - These are so great because they can be reused over and over. Tags can either be bought already painted or you can get plain wooden ones and paint them yourself. Some are so pretty they can even be hung on the tree.  pet-paw-print-heart-openwork-photo-charm-1892.html 2. Name beads - These are so cute and can be used again and again. They are especially cute for a little girl when their name is strung on elastic that they can use afterwards as a necklace or bracelet. It adds a little bit of fun and individuality to your gift. geschenke-schoen-verpacken-mit-kraftpapier 3...